


Practice Makes Perfect

by queen_scribbles



Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Seemingly Unrequited Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-03
Updated: 2017-12-03
Packaged: 2019-02-10 04:57:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12904569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queen_scribbles/pseuds/queen_scribbles
Summary: Fill #16 for PPW, Roll For It! #4. I got Edér, gift, and memory, and it turned into 2k of Edér/Charity fluff somehow. I dunno. I’m in too deep. Send help. (Also, Peycg is said PAYDJ, according to the wiki)





	Practice Makes Perfect

**Author's Note:**

> Fill #16 for PPW, Roll For It! #4. I got Edér, gift, and memory, and it turned into 2k of Edér/Charity fluff somehow. I dunno. I’m in too deep. Send help. (Also, Peycg is said PAYDJ, according to the wiki)

All too often, when the weather turned cold enough to prevent gardening, Charity found herself at loose ends. This year, her first settled into the Dyrwood, promised to be little different. She had friends, she had Edér (and the pretense of courtship they maintained). But still she found herself with more empty hours than full ones, especially once snow started to fall. That was probably why she decided to take up knitting.

It wasn’t something she consciously planned to do. She happened to mention(it might have been a bit complaining) that the days had more hours than she knew what to do with now while enjoying a drink at the Dracogen Inn. Peycg, the innkeeper’s wife, suggested knitting as a hobby both relaxing and practical.

“‘Course, that’s once you get the hang of it,” she cautioned when Charity’s eyes lit with excitement. “It ain’t that difficult, but some people do struggle.”

Charity laughed, twirling the end of her ponytail. “I’m very patient, and very stubborn.” She paused a moment and grimaced in self-deprecation. “And very bored.”

Peycg smiled as she nodded at the redhead’s fingers restlessly tapping against the counter. “I can tell. If you’re  interested, come by t’morrow, an hour past midday. I’ll be done most of my work by then, and I’ve a spare set of needles and some yarn you can use. I’ll teach ya the basics.”

“Oh, I have yarn,” Charity said. “Ufdaen traded me some for the last of my tomatoes just before the ground froze over.”

“Ah, well, that’s lucky.” Peycg smiled even wider as her gaze drifted over Charity’s shoulder at the opening and shutting of the inn’s door. “Evenin’, Mayor.”

The sly look the older woman tossed her made Charity’s cheeks burn, and she fought the urge to hunch down and make herself less visible. Even aside from the courtship facade, Edér was her friend and there wasn’t really a logical reason for that reaction.

Then again, matters of the heart were rarely logical. Charity bit her lip and picked at the handle of her tankard until she felt Edér behind her. She half-turned and smiled fondly as she reached up to dust snow out of his hair. “You’re doing it again.”

“Not on purpose,” Edér protested cheerfully, leaning against the counter and signalling Dengler for a drink. This was a frequent topic of good-natured reprimand; he was so tall and broad-shouldered, Charity often complained he loomed without even trying.

“On purpose or not, you’re still doin’ it,” she teased. She brushed against his cheek on the way down. “You’re also freezing.” She cupped her hand against his skin, ignoring both Peycg’s grin and the bite of cold against her fingers.

“I’ll be fine,” Edér waved off her concern as he sat down. “I grew up with this weather, Charity. I’m used to it.” He tugged off one glove and rested his hand on her arm, the heat of it quickly soaking through to her skin. “‘Sides, the rest of me is plenty warm.”

“I can see that, crazy man,” Charity said, voice rife with amusement. “So, are you done your mayoral duties for the day and here to celebrate?”

Edér made a face. “Nah, I wish. Still got a lot of paperwork to wade through. Just thought I’d give my eyes a break for a bit, bolster m’self with ale and good company ‘fore I dive back into the fray.”

“You make it sound like a battle,” she teased, leaning closer than strictly necessary and very aware of the knowing glances Peycg kept throwing their way, even though she’d moved down the counter.

“Might as well be,” he snorted, nodding thanks to Dengler when the innkeeper plunked down a full tankard. “‘Cept this one I can’t win with a sword.” He took a deep drink. “Makes it a good bit tougher. I’d prefer a straight up fight.”

“You’re not alone in that,” Charity said wryly. She drained the last of her drink and contemplated ordering another, but the light was already starting to dim outside. Cursed short winter days... If she didn’t want part of her walk home to be in the dark, she needed to get moving. “But you are about to be alone in here. Well, ‘cept for Dengler and Peycg.”

Edér’s brown crinkled into a disappointed frown. “You’re leavin’? Already?”

“Edér, I’ve already been here for at least an hour-” she glanced at Peycg and got a confirming nod- “an’ it’s a long enough haul back to my place, if I don’t skedaddle now I’ll be makin’ part of it by moonlight.”

“Here, I’ll go with ya,” he offered, pushing away from the counter and starting to button his coat.

“You just got here,” she protested, tugging on her ponytail. “You’re still thawin’ out, I can’t ask you to go back into _that_.” She gestured vaguely at the door.

“Charity.” He kissed her forehead and her entire face went hot enough to forge Durgan steel. “Darlin’. What kinda gentleman would I be if I didn’t walk the lady I’m courtin’ home?”

“That kind that acknowledges his lady can take care of herself?” Charity tried, praying furiously the blushing would stop. That was less likely than Hylea and Magran mending fences. Whenever Edér broke out the endearments, it was ridiculously hard to remember this was a fucking _act_.

“I do know you can take care of yourself,” Edér promised as he helped her with her coat. “I also know your company’ll be a better break than anyone else’s.” He winked at Dengler. “No offense.”

“None taken,” the innkeeper laughed, he and his wife both watching them.

Sensing his determination, Charity saved her breath, instead waving goodbye to Peycg as she linked her arm through Edér’s. “You know they’ll gonna talk,” she commented, wrapping her scarf an extra loop around her neck against the evening’s chill. “’Bout us.”

“Ain’t that the point?” Edér drawled, shoulders hunching as they exited the inn. “We want ‘em talkin’ about our ‘courtship’ rather’n wonderin’ about the... other thing.”

“Shh!” she hissed, squeezing his arm. There weren’t many people out, thanks to both the hour and the cold, but still, better safe than sorry. “So... what’re you doin’ tomorrow?”

He grinned, catching the hint they should stick to small talk. “Mayor stuff. You?”

“Peycg’s gonna teach me to knit.” Charity shivered and tucked herself closer against him. Maybe part of why he never got cold is he seemed to radiate heat. It reminded her of winters as a child, when she’d huddle close to her father on walks in order to stay warm. “I’m bored without my garden or crops, an’ much as I enjoy spendin’ time with you or my friends, you have your own lives, so I can’t monopolize your time.” _Much as I might want to in some cases...._

“I dunno,” Edér grinned, pulling his arm free of her grasp to wrap around her shoulders instead, holding her close. “If you came by while I’m workin’, I’m sure I could find somethin’ for you to do.” He laughed, breath clouding the air in front of them. “Prob’ly still really borin’, though.”

Charity scrunched up her nose. “Tempting. But I think I’ll stick with knitting.”

“Smart woman. Stuff I’m dealin’s with’s liable to make me grumpy, anyway.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You? Grumpy? I didn’t think such a thing was possible.”

“It does happen from time to time,” he deadpanned. “Usually involves Tavi’s idea of a prank...”

Charity giggled. “Alright, that I can see.”

It was Edér’s turn to raise an eyebrow. “Does that say more about Tavi, or about me?”

She paused, measuring her words. “I think it says more about your friendship than either of you individually.”

He grinned and rubbed her arm. “Like I said, smart woman.”

Charity hummed her gratitude at the compliment and they lapsed into comfortable silence the rest of the way to her house.

~~~~~

It took a large portion of her willpower not to head for the Dracogen as soon as the sun was fully above the horizon. The promise of another escape from boredom was a tantalizing thought, but Charity made herself wait until the arranged time to grab her coat and go meet Peycg. It was warmer today, and she didn’t bother to button it for the walk to the inn.

Peycg was waiting with a smile and a pair of good-sized wooden needles, which she slid across the table to Charity as she sat down. “Hopefully they’re the right size. Let me see your yarn.”

Charity complied, twisting around to pull the light blue ball of yarn from one of her coat pockets. It was only slightly smooshed when she sat it on the table. Peycg reached over and took it in hand, calloused fingers stroking its surface, before nodding appreciatively.

“It’s good yarn,” she said. “Ufdaen’s really honed his trade.”

“That’s what happens if you don’t want to go out of business,” Charity replied with a small laugh.

Peycg chuckled. “True enough. But we’re here to help you hone a skill, not discuss to what extent one of our neighbors has done the same. What you have’ll work well with those needles, which is lucky. I won’t have to go upstairs an’ getcha ‘nother set.” She winked. “But before we get to the actual knittin’, I wanna explain some of the terms to you.”

Charity nodded as the older woman pulled out a knitted square of cheerful purple, her own needles still run through the top. “makes sense to be sure I’ll know what you’re talking about. Let me have it.”

~~~~~~~

It took a good ten minutes just for Charity to get a good grasp on the knitting terms. Learning how to do the actual stitches wasn’t terribly hard once she watched Peycg demonstrate a few.

“Now, the important question,” Peycg began, nodding with approval as she watched Charity slowly knit a few stitches, “Is are you planning to make something specific, or just gettin’ a feel for how it’s done?”

Charity thought for a moment, careful not to lose her grip on the needles. “Can’t I make somethin’ simple that’ll let me do both?”

“Sure,” Peycg nodded. “But if you’re aimin’ to do a particular project, you’ll need to pay attention to how many stitches you have in a row. If you’re just havin’ fun and learnin’ the ropes, it’s less important. Didja have somethin’ in mind you wanted to make?”

Charity smiled to herself, eyed the ball of cornflower-blue yarn. “A scarf.”

Peycg laughed and sent her a knowing look. “Good project for a beginner. I’m assumin’ you’ll want to make it nice an’ wide?”

Charity shrugged innocently. “All the better for keepin’ warm, right?”

“Of course.” Peycg winked, even more knowingly. “I’ll figure out your stitch count per row, and it looks like you have enough yarn there.” She waited until Charity was between stitches and lightly bumped her shoulder. “I’m sure it’ll turn out grand.”

Charity nodded, set down the knitting for a moment to twist her hair into a bun, and then resumed. “I sure hope so.”

~~~~~~~

If she dropped one more stitch, she was going to throw the whole cursed thing in the fire. Charity huffed in exasperation, then made herself take a deep breath and count to ten before she fixed the dropped stitch, finished her row, and decided it was time for a break. She had a headache. And a knot between her shoulder blades. Besides, despite her difficulties with grasping the skill itself, the scarf was almost done. It would be a shame to waste a couple weeks’ worth of hard work. Not to mention the needles  and yarn. And she was meeting Peycg tomorrow to learn how to  finish it off.

 _Literally a day from being done,_ she thought to herself as she tucked five feet of slightly uneven blue knitting in its place. _Not wasting that._

Her train of thought was interrupted by a knock at the door. “Charity? You home?”

She smiled to herself, almost instinctively tugging the end of her ponytail. Just as well she was taking a break. “You can come in, Edér.” She heard the door open and close, the shuffle of him removing his coat. “Thought you said somethin’ about today being full up.”

“Two of the people I was supposed to meet with canceled,” Edér explained, underscored by footsteps. “You alright?”

Charity hastily dropped the hand that had been rubbing between her shoulder blades. “Yeah, fine. Just sat too long in one position’s all.”

He gave her a skeptical look. “Y’know, my mom used to say the same thing. Usually when she was tryin’ to downplay achy spots. C’mere.”

She didn’t really resist when he stepped close enough to pull her into a hug, and didn’t flinch away when one of his big, warm hands passed right over the worst of the tension in her back. She couldn’t, however, suppress a slight hiss.

“Thought so,” Edér nodded, and tugged her arm to pull her toward one of the low backed chairs in her living room. “Sit.”

“What’re you- _ooooooh, Effigy’s **eyes** _ don’t stop.” Charity let herself slouch, leaning more against his hands as his thumbs rubbed over the knot between her shoulders. “Now I know why my father always looked boneless when Ma did this for hi _iim_.”

Edér laughed, sounded pleased with himself, as he paused for a second to tweak her ponytail. “Glad I’m not too outta practice.” He shifted position and dragged the heel of his hand down the center of the knot.

 _OhsweetEothas_ Charity bit her lip and sucked in a breath to avoid letting out a sound she’d previously only made, well, during acts of a far more intimate nature. Which was the last direction she needed her brain going right now.  “Nope, not out of practice. So, um... when’d you learn to do this?”

“My mom used to get the same knot in the same place when she’d been knittin’ too long.” The last of the tension loosened and he gave her shoulder an affectionate squeeze before moving to sit in another chair. “That is what that was from, right? Knitting?”

“Yeah,” she nodded, rolling her shoulders. She wanted to kiss him for how loose they felt, but with no audience, they were just friends having a chat.  “Thanks. So did you learn how t’do that so you could help your ma?”

“Yep.” Edér grinned and cracked his knuckles. “But she and Dad moved away long time ago...”

“Hence the worry of being rusty,” Charity finished. She smiled broadly. “Trust me, you’re not.”

“Good to know.” He winked at her.

“So what brought you by in the first place?” Charity asked, playing with her ponytail in an effort to seem casual. “We didn’t have plans I forgot about, did we?”

“No, no,” Edér laughed reassuringly. “Just figured it’s been a couple days since we spent time together so I should come by.”

“So people don’t think you’re neglectin’ your lady?” she teased.

“And just ‘cause I missed seein’ you.” He shrugged. “Y’know, as a friend.”

“Sure,” Charity replied. “And I missed seeing you, too. So, whaddya want to talk about?”

He chuckled. “How was your day?”

“Boring and frustrating by turns. I’ve mostly got the hang of knitting, but every so often I’ll get goin’ too fast an’ drop a stitch, or make a row one stitch too long or short... The dropped stitches are the worst, ‘cause most of ‘em I don’t notice ‘til a row or two later, and while Peycg did teach me some tricks to fix stuff like that,  I’m not nearly as good at _them_ as general knitting.” She smiled sheepishly.  “Sorry. Haven’t wandered into town for awhile. Had a lot built up to vent.”

“‘S what I’m here for,” Edér said, amusement in his tone. “Both as your friend and as your fake suitor.”

Charity flashed him a grateful smile. “How ‘bout you, how was your day?”

“Not as bad as it coulda been,” he replied, fiddling with the Eothasian pendant hanging around his neck. “Few people less than happy with decisions I made about property borders, but there were those couple who canceled, which means not nearly as much paperwork.”

She laughed. “Take what you can get, right?”

“Exactly.”

~~~~~~~

Peycg was busy enough the next day, Charity didn’t get her knitting lesson until almost suppertime.

“Sorry, dear,” Peycg apologized as they sat at a table facing the door. “We weren’t expectin’ that caravan that showed up for lunch.”

“No, it’s fine,” Charity assured her. “The inn comes first, I understand completely.”

“Thanks for that,” Peycg nodded. “Now, you just need to finish this off, right?”

“Mm-hm.” Charity pooled the finished scarf on the table. “I added to it some more last night. It’s almost as long as me now.”

“Perfect. That’s a good length for a scarf.” Peycg lifted an inch or two of the knitting by the wooden needle and placed it in her hands. “Now, the closing row and knot is called casting off.”

“Makes sense,” Charity said with a laugh. “Cast on to start, cast off to finish...” She giggled. “Was knitting invented by a fisherman’s wife?”

Peycg laughed, taking up her own knitting to use as an example. “Maybe it was invented by the fisherman. Needed somethin’ to keep his hands busy waitin’ for a bite. But here’s what you need to do...” The process as she explained--and demonstrated--it sounded simple enough; knit two stitches onto her right needle, pull the first over the second, repeat across the row.

Putting it into practice was a smidge more difficult. It seemed like every other second stitch slipped off when it wasn’t supposed to, and usually took several tries to fix. By the time she approached the end of the row, Charity was biting her lip hard. _Almost done. Almost. Done. Peycg said the first time is the hardest, so it’ll be better after this._ Finally she reached the last stitch. “Okay, now what?” She did exactly what Peycg said, and still the knot nearly got away. “Hylea’s wings, it’s like this hobby _wants_ to drive me away!”

“You’re doing fine, dear,” Peycg chuckled. “I had to redo my first casting off three times to get it right. What happened to you bein’ very patient and very stubborn?”

Charity rolled her eyes in self-deprecation. “Apparently they don’t extend to knitting. Or at least the patience doesn’t. But it’ll be better now that I’ve finished something.”

“That’s how it worked for me, too,” Peycg said with a smile. “It can be disheartening until you prove to yourself that you can do it. Once you have that,” she snapped her fingers. “Easy as a pie.”

“That’s a relief,” Charity sighed, spreading the scarf’s length across the table. Even if it was an over-simplification, it was a relief. Especially considering the final product was far from perfect. Slightly lumpy, with spots arcing like bubbles in the wool, some small sections narrower or wider than the whole, and very clearly a beginner’s attempt. “‘Cause I have to do better than this in the future.”

“You will,” Peycg assured her. “Just takes practice.”

“An’ I think it looks fine,” another, familiar voice chimed in. Edér strode across the room and ran an appraising eye over the scarf.

“Y’know, I’m beginning to think you have some kind of sixth sense for when I’m in here,” Charity teased, smiling up at him as she absently picked at a hangnail. “An’ I’m glad you like it, ‘cause it was supposed to be for you, crazy man who doesn’t know how to dress weather-appropriately. But now I’m reconsidering giving this monstrosity to anyone, let alone someone I... care about.”

He grinned. “First of all, darlin’, I was actually here first this time.” He pointed to a back corner. “Sittin’ right over there havin’ a bite to eat. You didn’t see me, and I didn’t wanna distract you. Second-” he whisked the scarf off the table before Charity had time to react and draped it around his neck- “it would be my pleasure to wear somethin’ made by someone who cares about me.”

Charity rolled her eyes and grabbed the tails of the scarf to pull him down eye-level with her. “You really are a crazy man.”

Edér laughed at her matter-of-fact tone and kissed the end of her nose. “Yep. Makes life interestin’.” He straightened and tugged the scarf free to wrap around his neck a couple times. “I gotta get back t’ work. See ya later?”

“Sure. Later,” Charity nodded, grin plastered across her face as she watched him leave.

She was definitely keeping this hobby.

**Author's Note:**

> Since this is a few months into the fake dating, I’m definitely planning to go back at some point and write the earlier stages, where they were much more awkward about it and finding boundaries and all that good stuff.


End file.
